Contentions

Even before the jobs numbers: “The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 33% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-five percent (35%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -2. . . . Overall, 53% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance so far.”

The markets have figured out Obama’s economic plans: “U.S. stocks made a sharp retreat Thursday, with losses steepening after the New York Stock Exchange extended the trading session by 15 minutes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 registered their third straight weekly loss, the longest weekly losing streak since early March, when stocks began their four-month rally. The Dow average closed down 214.3 points, or 2.5%, at 8,289.8.”

Voters are not waiting around to see what he does: they already don’t like Al Franken. His favorable/unfavorable rating is 34-44%. Well, still better than the Governor of New Jersey.

Gerald Seib joins those who have noticed all “the ways the world has conspired to help Mr. Romney.” Well, only if the Republicans actually want someone with economic expertise, knowledge of the automobile industry, experience running a presidential campaign, “air miles and shoe leather . . . invest[ed] to help fellow Republicans,” a polished TV presence, and no hint of scandal.

On the Washington Postaccess scandal I agree entirely with Ezra Klein: “From every angle, it’s dirty: It compromises us with the government officials we should be covering but who are doing us a financial favor by participating. It compromises us with the lobbyists we should be covering but who are now funding our business in return for access to the newsroom and the administration. There’s literally no way to look at it that doesn’t leave us in a terribly unethical position.”

And with Christine Pelosi too: “The Washington Post Salongate is yet another example of hypocrisy: after complaining in editorials and exposes about special interests silencing the public interest, the Post perpetuated the same behavior. They should liveblog their salons and charge sponsors just like any other conference.” And disclose the invite list so we can tell with whom the Post is in bed.

Maybe Bill can headline one for Joe Sestak also: “The Obama White House and Sen. Charles Schumer have worked diligently to try to clear the Democratic primary field for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. in the Empire State, but to no avail. And Bill Clinton appears to be complicating matters by headlining a fundraiser for Gillibrand foe Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in Manhattan on July 20.”

As we suspected, the Republicans are raising a fuss over the delay in turning over Sotomayor’s PRLDEF documents: “A spokesman for Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions says documents provided by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund show that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor played a ‘deeper than previously thought’ role in controversial positions taken by the PRLDEF. And Sessions’ office says the White House and PRLDEF have still not turned over all the material requested by the Senate Judiciary Committee for Sotomayor’s confirmation hearing.”

Michael Gerson reminds us on Iraq: “This is one of the most extraordinary reversals of fortune in the history of American warfare. In 2006 and 2007 — after years of rising violence and disappointed expectations — much of the public and Congress had concluded, as Sen. Harry Reid did, that ‘this war is lost.’ Some, such as then-Sen. Barack Obama, recommended an almost immediate American withdrawal.” But we thankfully neither of them controlled U.S. Iraq policy at the time. As Gerson notes, “[W]e did not fail. Our military adapted. Our leaders and country persevered.”